After Brewing in Over a Dozen French Presses, This Is My Go-to for the Perfect Cup
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This makes great coffee with a way less annoying cleanup.
Allrecipes / Irvin Lin
I am always happy to nerd out with my fellow coffee enthusiasts. Though I’m not a hardcore fanatic that measures my TDS—“total dissolved solids” for those who aren’t fluent in barista-ese—I can hold my own, discussing the pros and cons of different grinds, coffee brewing recipes, and brewing apparatuses. But there’s nothing quite like a simple, no-frills French press with its full immersion brew. I’ve tried at least a dozen French press models, and despite what most folks think, they are not all the same. I like my go-to everyday French press so much that I own two! I use the 34-ounce version to brew a big pot of coffee to share with my husband in the morning. And a smaller 17-ounce one, for the occasional afternoon cup I enjoy as I work from home while he’s at work.Bodum Columbia Thermal French Press Coffee Maker
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The French press is a form of immersion brewing, one of the simplest ways to make coffee. The grounds sit in the water as opposed to passing through it. This leads to a more robust extraction, giving the resulting coffee a fuller body and richer flavor than you typically get with filtration coffee like pour-over and drip coffee. That’s when water runs through the coffee grounds, extracting the flavor as gravity pulls the water through the grounds and a filter.Nearly all French presses operate the same way. You add coarsely ground coffee to the pot before filling with near-boiling water. Let the coffee steep, stirring it once or twice during the steeping if you wish (I always do to ensure maximum flavor extraction). Once fully brewed, you push the plunger down, trapping the grounds at the bottom, then pour yourself a cup. Be careful to not pour out the last bits of coffee at the bottom. Even though the plunger has a metal mesh, sometimes coffee grounds and sediment can slip through into your cup, which no one likes.The biggest complaint about French press coffee, besides the potential sediment and silt you might get with the last cup, is the cleanup. Though I adore the rich, full-bodied cup that a French press offers, it isn’t quite as convenient as filtered coffee, where I can easily grab the filter filled with grounds and toss it into the compost bin. Instead, I have to take out the plunger, empty the grounds, and then wash all the components, including the mesh bottom, which I have to disassemble to clean thoroughly.The Bodum Columbia, however, simplifies the cleanup a bit. Unlike other French presses, it only has one part to the mesh bottom, not three separate parts. This translates to a quicker cleanup in the sink. The Bodum Columbia is also a pretty handsome-looking French press! The stainless-steel body is made from one piece and is double vacuum-sealed, so heat is retained inside. This allows me to leisurely enjoy my cup of coffee throughout the morning, without having to constantly heat it back up. The stainless steel makes this fairly indestructible, unlike the glass carafe of other French presses, of which I’ve broken my fair share. The slightly larger metal handle is ergonomically designed with a bit of a fatter flare in the middle. It feels great in my hand, with a really nice overall balance to the body of the press. Some metal French presses look great but are clearly designed for looks over function. But the Bodum Columbia marries the two, looking sleek and modern while still being super functional with easy cleanup.Other French Presses to ConsiderBest Budget: Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker
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The iconic Bodum Chambord is what most folks associate with the French press. Designed and patented back in 1958, it’s a bestseller at a reasonable price and still makes a great cup of coffee. It’s a great entry-level French press, completely intuitive to use, and the glass carafe allows you to see exactly how much coffee grounds and water you put into the device. The Chambord features a 3-part metal mesh plunger: a perforated metal disk with a spring wrapped around the edge to help prevent the plunger from falling out as you pour the coffee; a crisscross bottom metal disk; and a fine mess filter that is sandwiched between the two, straining the coffee grounds. I do sometimes get paranoid though, and hold on to the top of the Chambord as I pour, to prevent the glass carafe from potentially sliding out. Cleanup is a little more challenging as you need to disassemble the pieces to wash them but having three parts also means you can wash the pieces more thoroughly. Still, it’s a classic for a reason, making a solid cup of coffee.Best Splurge: Fellow Clara French Press
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If you’re looking for a modern-looking French press, the Fellow Clara is one of the best-designed ones. Not only is the contemporary design beautiful on display, but each aspect of the French press is well thought-out. Its double vacuum body is insulated to keep your coffee hot as you brew it and drink it, while the mesh plunger is one piece, like the Bodum Columbia, so cleanup doesn’t require disassembly.The interior of the Fellow Clara is also lined with a nonstick coating so the grounds slide out easily once you’re done brewing (just be careful, as the grounds will still be hot because of the vacuum-sealed body). The lid itself has perforated holes all the way around the interior collar, so you don’t have to twist it to find just the right area to pour from the spout. And the large flat plunger knob on top is easy to push down with the palm of your hand.Cleanest Cup: Espro 18-Ounce P5 Glass French Press
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If you love the idea of a rich, full-bodied cup of coffee but the silt and sediment at the bottom of your cup is what prevents you from enjoying it, the ESPRO line of French presses might be the ideal solution. Think of this as an upgrade to the classic Bodum Chambord. Unlike the 3-part mesh filter, the ESPRO model has two interlocking microfine cup filters. The double filter prevents silt and sediment from getting into your cup, offering a cleaner cup of coffee, free from sediment and grit. The downside to having two filters is that there is double the amount of washing, though it's a small price to pay for great coffee.Like the Chambord, the ESPRO P5 features a glass carafe, but this one actually locks into the metal frame stand, preventing the glass from falling out as you pour the coffee. ESPRO also offers a slightly cheaper version, the P3 which has a plastic frame stand instead of a metal one. And if you want to splurge, you can upgrade to their stainless steel double-walled P6 French press or P7 French press, which keeps your coffee hot in the press, allowing you to enjoy multiple cups.Best for Camping: YETI Rambler 34 oz. French Press Coffee Maker
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Known for insulated mugs and cups, YETI’s new Rambler French press is an ideal option for folks that want a durable camping French press that also delivers a quality cup. With a double-walled, vacuum-sealed body, the YETI keeps your coffee hot for hours. And like the Fellow Clara French press, the interior of the French press is lined with ceramic, which means cleanup is easy, with grounds sliding right out without sticking.The filter is made of two parts, the micromesh part that filters out the grounds, and a smaller fitted silicone cover, that helps prevent silt and sediment from slipping through. The silicone cover also prevents the coffee from slipping back through the filter and continuing to steep, which can cause over-extraction and bitterness. The thick, durable plastic lid locks in with a twist, allowing you to pour without fear of the lid falling off. And the body and most of the other parts are made of 18/8 stainless steel so you can toss it in your car or backpack without fear of anything breaking.Best for Large Groups: Stanley Classic Stay Hot French Press
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Recently Stanley has become the hot brand for stylish, on-the-go travel mugs. So, it’s easy to forget it started as an outdoor brand, offering rugged gear for campers. The classic 48-ounce Stay Hot French press is ideal for making large amounts of coffee for big groups of folks (or maybe just for someone who really loves a lot of coffee) whether you are staying or venturing out in the great outdoors.The double-vacuum stainless steel body means the coffee stays hot for a long time, whether you want to brew up some coffee and enjoy it throughout the day, or while on a picnic or outdoor lunch. And though Stanley still offers its French press in the signature old-school hammertone green color, it’s also offered in an array of fun new colors, so you can be sure to match it with your cool on-the-go travel mug.Best Ceramic: Le Creuset French Press
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If looks are a priority, there are several ceramic Instagram-worthy French presses, but my favorite is the Le Creuset. Le Creuset has a long history of making beautiful high-quality products, and its French press is no exception. With a thick-walled ceramic body and the signature color range, this French press looks beautiful on your counter and next to your coffee cup. The glossy glaze interior finish cleans up fairly easily, with the coffee grounds sliding right out after brewing.The plunger is similar to the Bodum Chambord, with three parts that come apart for thorough cleaning. Because ceramic has a high heat capacity, it retains heat well with coffee staying hot in the Le Creuset French press for a fairly long time. The downside is the ceramic takes a while to heat up—I recommend pouring boiling water into the French press first to warm it. Then empty the French press, and add the coffee grounds before adding more near-boiling water to brew. If you don’t preheat the Le Creuset, the resulting coffee brewed will be cooler and under-extracted, potentially leading to a sour and flat cup.Why Take Our Word For It?Irvin Lin is the author of the baking cookbook Marbled, Swirled, and Layered as well as the founder of the blog Eat the Love. He’s an avid coffee drinker, always searching out for the best cup of coffee where he travels. He’s a food writer, recipe developer, and product reviewer that has tested hundreds of kitchen equipment, including bakeware, cookware and countertop appliances.
Related: Our Allstars Love Single-Serve Coffee Machines—Here Are Their Favorites
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